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Fungus Joins New Species List
June 19, 2013 | Comments
A new species of fungus that causes life-threatening infections in humans and cats has been discovered. After six years of investigation, researchers have confirmed this as a completely new species, Aspergillus felis, which can cause virulent disease in humans and cats by infecting their respiratory tract.
RNA Counting Improved in Pathogenic Bacteria
June 19, 2013 10:12 am | Comments
Small molecules of RNA (tens to hundreds of nucleotides in length) play a key regulatory role in...
Drawing Pad Monitors Learning-disabled Brains
June 18, 2013 10:58 am | Comments
For less than $100, University of Washington researchers have designed a computer-interfaced...
Sweetener a Possible Parkinson's Therapy
June 18, 2013 10:18 am | Comments
Mannitol, a sugar alcohol produced by fungi, bacteria, and algae and a common component of sugar...
FDA investigates Zyprexa Relprevv patient deaths
June 18, 2013 1:31 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsFederal regulators are investigating the deaths of two patients who received injections of a longer-lasting version of Eli Lilly's antipsychotic Zyprexa. The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that the patients died three to four days after receiving an appropriate dose of the drug known...
Next-gen Sequencing Leads to New Virus Detection
June 18, 2013 11:37 am | CommentsIn new research researchers describe a technology that can detect new, previously unknown viruses. The technique uses blood serum as a biological source to categorize and discover viruses. Taking advantage of the complete deciphering of the human genome, researchers used a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach called transcriptome subtraction to identify viral genetic material in the blood.
'Chase and Run' Mechanism Explains Cancer Metastasis
June 18, 2013 10:35 am | CommentsA mechanism that cells use to group together and move around the body– called "chase and run"- has been described for the first time by scientists. The new study focuses on the process that occurs when cancer cells interact with healthy cells in order to migrate around the body during metastasis.
Alzheimer's Drug Restores Lost Brain Connections
June 18, 2013 10:02 am | CommentsThe first experimental drug to boost brain synapses lost in Alzheimer’s disease has been developed by researchers. The drug, called NitroMemantine, combines two FDA-approved medicines to stop the destructive cascade of changes in the brain that destroys the connections between neurons, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline.
Researchers Tackle MERS with SARS Approach
June 18, 2013 9:46 am | CommentsA pair of researchers who in the past created compounds to block the SARS virus are now tackling the new Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV. The team's successful work on SARS paved the way for them to swiftly work on MERS CoV, reducing parts of the process that would normally take years to a matter of month.
Deadly year for encephalitis feared in India
June 18, 2013 4:16 am | by BISWAJEET BANERJEE - Associated Press - Associated Press | CommentsA mosquito-borne disease that preys on the young and malnourished is sweeping across poverty-riven northern India again this monsoon season, with officials worried it could be the deadliest outbreak in nearly a decade. Encephalitis has already killed at least 118 children this year, and...
Singapore fumes after pollution hits 16-year high
June 18, 2013 1:35 am | by SATISH CHENEY - Associated Press - Associated Press | CommentsSingaporeans rolled back military training, kept cough-stricken children indoors and considered wearing protective masks to work Tuesday after a smoky haze triggered by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia caused air pollution to briefly hit its worst level in nearly 16 years. The Pollutant...
Airborne laser reveals city under Cambodian earth
June 18, 2013 1:30 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsAirborne laser technology has uncovered a network of roadways and canals, illustrating a bustling ancient city linking Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temples complex. The discovery was announced late Monday in a peer-reviewed paper released early by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of...
Report: US adult smoking rate dips to 18 percent
June 18, 2013 12:44 am | by MIKE STOBBE - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | CommentsFewer U.S. adults are smoking, a new government report says. Last year, about 18 percent of adults participating in a national health survey described themselves as current smokers. The nation's smoking rate generally has been falling for decades, but had seemed to stall at around 20 to 21...
First-of-Its-Kind Independent Review of INFUSE® Bone Graft Coordinated by Yale University is Complete
June 17, 2013 5:06 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsINFUSE Bone Graft Remains Important Treatment Option MINNEAPOLIS - June 17, 2013 - Medtronic, Inc. [NYSE: MDT] acknowledged today the publication of the findings from Yale University's...
Lilly to take over development of diabetes drug
June 17, 2013 1:22 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsEli Lilly and Co. will pay Canadian drug developer Transition Therapeutics Inc. $7 million and take over the development of a potential diabetes treatment heading into mid-stage clinical testing. Transition said Monday it also could receive up to $240 million in additional payments, plus...
Melanoma Tumors 'Eradicated' in Mice
June 17, 2013 11:10 am | CommentsResearchers eradicated most melanoma tumors by exposing them to a fast-acting virus, according to a report in the Journal of Virology. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer and can spread throughout the body and even into the brain.
Technique Clears Major Diabetes Transplant Hurdle
June 17, 2013 11:04 am | CommentsResearchers have identified a way to trigger reproduction in the laboratory of clusters of human cells that make insulin, potentially removing a significant obstacle to transplanting the cells as a treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes.
Printing Artificial Bone
June 17, 2013 10:51 am | CommentsResearchers working to design new materials that are durable, lightweight and environmentally sustainable are increasingly looking to natural composites for inspiration. While they have come up with hierarchical structures in the design of new materials, going from a computer model to the production of physical artifacts has been a challenge. Now, researchers have developed an approach that allows them to turn their designs into reality.
Toxin Testing Helps Treat Spine Injuries, MS Symptoms
June 17, 2013 10:28 am | CommentsA medical test previously developed to measure a toxin found in tobacco smokers has been adapted to measure the same toxin in people suffering from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, offering a potential tool to reduce symptoms.
